Composite sign structure



F. MICHAELS 2,355,546

COMPOSITE SIGN STRUCTURE Aug. 8, 1944.

3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 28, 1941 7 INVY'ENTOR. Frank? I.Mi0kaels.

F. L. MICHAELS COMPOSITE SIGN STRUCTURE Aug. s, 1944.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1941 INVENTOR.

A e a h 0 WSWW,

Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to signs and has for an object theprovision of a composite sign including indicia or sign elements andmounting means which are easily fabricated into strong and enduringsigns of excellent appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a composite sign of thischaracter which is readily adaptable to a variety of purposes includinghouse number signs and street name signs.

A further object of the invention is to provide devices of thischaracter wherein selected indicia or sign elements are easily insertedin making up the sign but cannot be readily removed or displaced afterthe completed sign is mounted in its position of use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide signs of thischaracter which are of excellent visibility and which can be provided ingreat variety at a relatively low cost.

These and other objects are attained by the means herein described anddisclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a wall type sign embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a double faced sign embodying theinvention, part being broken away.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the reverse side of the sign shown inFig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through a modified form of double facedsign.

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of a single faced sign adapted forbracket mounting.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l2l2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is an elevational view of a post type mounting embodying signsof the invention as used at street intersections.

The problems arising in connection with the provision of a variety ofsigns in relatively small numbers and at a relatively small cost haveled to various disadvantages in municipal communities in the system ofstreet posting. Amongst these disadvantages are the resort to signs ofrelatively inexpensivecharacter having fair visibility in the daytimeand poor visibility at night resulting from the uniform shiny surface ofthe sign in the presence of adjacent street lights where the almostcomplete lack of visibility is due to the absence of a properly locatedpermanent source of illumination. Many municipalities adopt a system ofelaborate cast metal signs for boulevards and the like, which are highlyornamental in the daytime but which are not uniformly eifective afterdark. By the means of the present invention the high costs incident tothe use of a more elegant type of street sign as well as the objectionsregarding visibility and legibility at a reasonable distance, areelminated. The signs of the invention are adapted to a variety of stylesand forms of mounting.

In the accompanying drawings and the following specification signs ofthe invention are exemplified embodying wall mounting signs, bracketmounting signs, post mounted signs, and single and double faced signs.

Referring now to the drawings: Figs. 1 to 5 are illustrative of one formof wall mounting sign and the details thereof. This wall mounting signis adapted as a. house number sign which can be inexpensively made up.The sign comprises essentially a top hollow frame or flange I5 ofsuitable ornamental shape and a bottom hollow frame or flange l6parallel to flange l5 and presenting desirably the same ornamentalcontour with the addition of an integral offset shoulder H. A flatbackground element or sheet i8 is integral with and in recessed relationto the frame and flange members. In this embodiment the form of the topflange I5 is carried out in the end flanges l9 so that the simple formedstamping comprising the aforementioned elements presents the appearanceof a heavy cast metal panel. The wall 20 of top flange I5 is providedWith a series of aligned apertures or slots 2! which may be initiallycompletely punched out or, alternately, may be scored and weakenedknock-outs to be removed as required. (See Fig. 3.) The top wall 22 ofshoulder ll is substantially parallel with the wall 20 of the top flangel5 and is similarly provided with apertures 23 in opposed relation withthe apertures 2! in the Wall 20. A selected group of sign elements 24are adapted to be easily mounted in recessed portion of the sign betweenthe top and bottom flanges. In this instance, the sign elements 24 arecut out numerals formed desirably of light-reflecting metal and each isprovided at its bottom with a relatively short lug 25 and at its topwith a longer lug 26. The lugs 25 and 26 extend through apertures 23 and2| to position the sign elements against shifting in the direction ofthe length of the sign. The bottoms of the elements 24 seat on the topface of the shoulder wall 22 and thus raise the sign elementssufficiently above the apparent top face of the lower flange [6 toprevent the bottom of the sign element from being obscured by the depthof the flange when the sign is in an elevated position. The length ofthe top lug 26 permits an inconspicuous portion thereof to be exposedbelow the wall of top flange l5 while the remainder thereof projectswell into the hollow interior of the flange.

The free edges of all the bordering flanges are extended rearwardlybeyond the plane of the rear face of background member 18. The signelements 24 are entered and removed from the sign panel by lifting theelements so that the entire lug 26 is disposed within the hollowinterior of the top flange l5, at which time the bottom lug is above thetop of shoulder IT and is free to be entered into or removed from theaperture 23. When the elements 24 are entered in place, they areautomatically spaced between the top and bottom flanges so as to presentan artistically balanced appearance. The sign of Fig. 1 is adapted forwall mounting by means of a back plate 21 having holes 210 for thereception of securing means such as nails, lag screws, etc. The backplate has a formed rim 28 which slidably enters the rim of the hollowflanges I 5, l6 and IS, the members l5 and I6 being provided withsuitable means to preclude separation of the sign panel and itsback'plate. Such means may be of any desired character, for example, asshown in Figs. 2 and 5, an occasional boss 29 may be provided on theinside of the members l5 and I6 while the rim 28 of the back plate isprovided with complementary recesses 30 for receiving said bosses.Reference is now made to Fig. 4 wherein it will be noted that the topportion of rim 28 of the back plate projects into the hollow interior oftop flange l5 and overhangs the top ends of the lugs 26 on the signelements. Thus when the device is fastened upon a wall it is impossibleto raise the sign elements sufiiciently to unseat the bot tom lugs 25.The signs are thus relatively tamper-proof and they present no visiblefastening means.

It is to be understood that the sign elements may be in the form of anydesired indicia including numerals, letters, symbols, or combinationsthereof, to meet any desired requirements. It will be also understoodthat the sign elements used in making up the composite signs may, ifdesired, be embossed to present the appearance of burnished letters castintegrally on a panel. The face of background panel [8 and the entireshoulder I! are suitably finished in a desirably dark lusterless colorwhile the exterior face of the framing flange may be bronzed orotherwise finished. The faces of the sign elements are desirably, butnot necessarily, of light-reflecting metal in order to afford excellentvisibility under varying light conditions. Various kinds of polishedlight-reflecting metals are available on the open markets and thedetails of surface formation form no part of the present invention.

Reference is made now to Figs. 6 through 9, inclusive, wherein a doublefaced composite sign structure is shown. This type of composite sign isadapted to have the sign elements constructed as described in connectionwith the device of Fig.

1 while the panel or framing and background members are adapted to besold as lengths of fabricated metal which may be cut into sections ofrequired length and assembled by relatively unskilled labor. One featureof the present invention is the ability to provide municipalities withlarge quantities of sign components from which signs of differentlengths may be readily made up into elegant and massive appearingindividual signs. The panel strip is a unitary sheet metal form whichmay be rapidly produced on cornice machinery. It comprises a face membershoulder 340 and an upstanding flap 36.

3|, the one edge of which is turned to form an ornamental hollow topflange 32 which extends uniformly along :both faces thereof and is thenbrought around to the rear face, terminating in a flap 33. The bottomflange is formed by turning the metal at the bottom of 3| to form ashoulder 34, a hollow flange 35 presenting apparent uniformity to thehollow flange 32 and extending around to the rear of 3| to provideanother The bottom wall portions 37 of the top flange 32 have slots orknock-outs 38 to receive the lugs of the inserted sign elements 39. Theshoulders 34 and 345 have slots or knock-outs 40 for receiving thebottom lugs of the sign elements 39. The opposite faces of the panelstrip just described are superficially identical because the edges offlaps 33 and 36 are not easily discernible, particularly when bothbackground faces are of dark color and relatively lusterless finish.Sign elements 39, which correspond to sign elements 24 of Fig. 1, areinserted in a manner which will be well understood from the precedingdescription of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. End members 41 are one pieceelements which are slipped over opposite ends of a section of panelstrip to close the hollow ends of the top and bottom flanges and tocover the raw edges of the opposite ends of the sheet metal member. Caps4! may be of formed sheet metal or cast metal. Each of the members 4|has a hollow recess therein complementary to the cross-, sectionaloutline of top and. bottom flanges 32 and 35 and the thickness ofbackground panel 3i and its flaps. In order to avoid accidental ordeliberate displacement of the sign elements 39, a flat strip 42 isslidably entered into the open end of hollow top flange 32 so as to reston or overhang the tops of lugs 43 of the sign elements. The end caps 4|are then slidably mounted on the opposite ends of the composite sign andsecured against removal by rivets or screws 44.

Reference is now made to Fig. 10 which shows a vertical section of aslightly modified form of the sign of Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, themodification consisting in providing a panel strip 46 in which theopposed background portions are spaced apart at the top and in providingthe end cap 45 (shown in cross-section) with a recess correspondinglyshaped to slidably receive the end of the modified cross-section of thepanel strip. The sign elements (not shown), which may be identical withelements 24 of Fig. l, or elements 39 of Figs. 6, 7 and 8, are adaptedfor mounting in the panel strip 46 in the manner explained hereinbeforeand illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8. The sign elements thus mounted areinclined with the background panel faces 41 of the panel strip 46 andthus provide better legibility of the composite sign embodying the samewhen viewed at an angle from below. Furthermore, the sign element, suchas 39, of light-reflecting metal willrefiect some of the light fromstreet sources and approaching motor vehicles. In this construction,

it is desirable to have the edges 49, which represent the opposite edgesof the integral sheet, appear in close proximity near the base of one ofthe panels. The rivet 5!] which passes through the narrow part of theend cap 45 serves to control the sheet and hold it in desired form. Aninserted strip 5| serves to hold the sign elements against removal. Theslots or knockouts 48 are provided at intervals throughout the length ofthe panel strip to enable the selective positioning of the signelements. 1

Figs. 11 and 12 are illustrative of a single faced bracket mounted sign.Suitable rods 52, projecting from any desired upright member, are passedthrough openings 53 formed in the top and bottom portions of theadjacent end cap 54, and extend through the hollow top flange 55 andbottom flange 56 into the outer end cap 51. One or more screws 58 or thelike may pass through the end cap 51 and into the supporting rods 52 tomount the sign against removal.

For the purpose of mounting a plurality of signs of the invention on apost, as at street intersections, any suitable post clamp, such as asplit clamp 59, may be secured on a post 60 with one or more slottedbrackets 6| aflixed to or formed integrally therewith. The bottomflanges 56 of the several signs are seated in the grooves or slots ofthe respective brackets SI and secured therein by bolts 62 which passthrough both sides of the bracket and the interposed flange and aredrawn up tightly by nuts 63.

What is claimed is:

1. In a composite sign the combination of a formed sheet metal bodycomprising spaced hollow flanges and a recessed background panelconnecting them,an offset shoulder formed integrally with and connectingthe lower flange with the adjacent side of the panel, a sign elementseated on its bottom edge on said shoulder and extending upwardly acrossthe background panel toward the top flange, a lug on the bottom of thesign element passing through the shoulder for positioning the bottom ofsaid sign element on the shoulder, a relatively longer lug on the top ofthe sign element extending in partially exposed relation to the topflange and then into the hollow interior of the top flange, and a rigidbar-like element retained in non-shiftable relation in said interior ofsaid top flange precluding movement of the lug further into the flangewhereby the sign element is retained against removal from the face ofthe sign.

2. In a composite sign the combination of a formed sheet metal bodycomprising spaced hollow flanges and a recessed background panelconnecting them, an ofiset shoulder formed integrally with andconnecting the lower flange with the adjacent side of the panel, a signelement having its bottom edge seated on said shoulder and extendingupwardly across the background panel toward the top flange, a bottom lugon the sign element passing through the shoulder, a relatively longertop lug on the sign element extending in exposed relation across thebackground panel and then into the hollow interior of the top flange, arigid bar inserted inside the top flange precluding further upwardmovement of said top lug, and end caps embracing the oplposite ends ofthe first mentioned body and closing the ends of the hollow flanges andrendering said bar inaccessible and non-shiftable in the hollow flange.

3. In a composite sign the combination of a formed sheet metal bodycomprising spaced hollow flanges and a pair of oppositely facingbackground panel portions in recessed relation to the flanges, the panelportions spaced apart at the top and substantially in back-to-backabutment at the bottom, sign elements disposed against the backgroundpanel portions and each comprising top and bottom lugs extending intothe hollow flanges, an inserted member in one of the flanges abuttingthe lugs to preclude movement of the sign elements, end caps recessed toreceive the ends of said sheet metal body, and. means extendingtransversely through the end caps and the substantially abutting panelportions disposed therein.

L. MICHAELS,

